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Russia tries to give a diplomatic agreement to Japan on the fate of the Kuril Islands. For this, the Kremlin expects to receive a good price – the political influence of one of the largest American allies in the region.
That's what the Wall Street Journal says.
Read also: What Putin and the Kuriles designed and what is in Crimea: an explanation of the former deputy of the State Duma
The edition recalls that on January 22, the Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Prime Minister – Japan's Secretary-General Abe Shinzo is celebrating his third birthday in the past three months.
However, experts believe that it is unlikely that the Kremlin will agree to return to Japan the Kuril Islands. An expert on Russian-Japanese relations with the Tokyo Temple University, James Brown, believes that the continuation of this dialogue is beneficial for the Russian authorities.
The Russian authorities are aware that it is very useful to maintain a territorial conflict and thus maintain an influence over Japan,
. ] – he explained.
The publication indicates that Putin's dialogues with the Japanese side have yielded political results. Thus, Japan has imposed the weakest sanctions against Russia for the war against Ukraine among all the G7 countries. In addition, it is only in Tokyo that they decided not to expel Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal's former spy on the territory. British.
"Supporting the distant prospect of a territorial agreement helps to encourage Abe to stand out from other G7 nations," said Brown. 19659004] The Wall Street Journal notes that the last conversation between Japan and Russia also took place against the backdrop of uncertainty in relations between the United States and Japan.
By the way, an expert from the Bellingcat investigation team, Khristo Grovev, said that in the Kremlin possibility hlyadayut of another "referendum" – this time on the Kuril Islands. This so-called referendum aims to legitimize the annexation of Crimea and reload relations with the West.
What is the essence of the conflict between Japan and Russia? Four islands of the Kuril Ridge, namely Iturup, Shikotan, Kunashir and Habomai, annexed by the Soviet Union after the Second World War. After the war, they were incorporated in the southern district of Kuryla of Sakhalin oblast. Japan does not recognize Russian sovereignty over the islands and regards them as theirs.
The Four Islands Closest to Japan Trying to Return the Country
In 1956, the USSR and Japan signed a declaration of closure of hostilities, but the peace treaty did not Has not been signed yet. . After the collapse of the USSR, the dispute over the affiliation of the islands broke out with renewed vigor. The settlement of a dispute in international courts is blocked by Russia. Recently, she placed an additional division of the army in the Kuril Islands that outraged Japan
On November 14, 2018, at a meeting between Russian and Japanese leaders, it was agreed to return to the discussion of the terms of the 1956 memorandum, according to which Moscow would have agreed to hand over two of the four islands to the Japanese side.
What does the Russian-Japanese declaration of 1956 say? According to the document, the USSR and Japan declared that the state of war between the two states, which existed after the Second World War, as well as its restoration Diplomatic relations. In addition, the statement stipulated that the Soviet authorities would agree to grant Japan two disputed islands in the Kuril Islands to four – Shikotan and a group of Habomai islands.
Please note that it would act as a step forward towards a meeting intended for the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement, but in response to the signature. Japanese-American Security Treaty of 1960, the USSR canceled its commitments in the field of transfer of islands. Since then, no peace agreement has been signed between Moscow and Tokyo.
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